Seriously...this is an excellent article.
There's nop rush to get married - play the field at least a decade more or so, then get serious about it. You get to date lots of cute girls with few strings this way, and then at the end you can get the life you want. No sense in clipping your wings too soon.
Most men are not worth marrying until after they hit their 30's.
1) Men don't mature fast enough emotionally and don't generally put it all together til later in life. That is true far more often than not.
2) A man should have achieved some level of success in his chosen field so as to have proved something to himself about his character and foundation. He will have far less to prove and less need to act out. He will also be able to make his own choices rather than being a slave to his need to make money.
3) A man should have amassed some money to finance his family which involves having developed some discipline around finance. Kids and wives are expensive. Plan accordingly.
4) A man should have dated enough women to know what the workd is like and be able to see that all that shines and glitters is not always real. Hot chicks lose their looks over time and if they have no personality then you are screwed.
Don't listen to those people on this thread trying to tell you are too young to marry. It is so ridiculous that 24 is considered too young by many in our society. Go for it. Just make sure before you get married that you and she are on the same page about your values and family plans.
Good luck and God bless.
It is not he cost of housing that is delaying marriage, but the cost of divorce.
Hell, you can still shack up in shack and have sex.
No sir ree, it is not housing costs but lawyer expenses.
#1 Only date women who share your values. That is a fundamental basis for a marriage.
#2. No sex before marriage.(See #1) Sex before marriage short circuits the natural course of the relationship. You also want to show the woman that you are man enough to control yourself. A woman worth marrying will appreciate that.
#3. Don't let love cloud your good sense. Pay attention to how a woman interacts with other people. If she argues constantly with her family, gossips about coworkers, or treats the waiter at the restaurant like a serf, she will not be good wife/mother material. Remember it will largely be her personality which will be imprinted on your kids. Also, bad-mouthing former boyfriends is a bad sign.(She may soon be bad-mouthing YOU to her next boyfriend).
#4. Don't oversell. Don't lead a woman on if you are not truly interested. Be fair.
If you have a very close friend of the opposite sex, it is very likely that the two of you share the values that important to a marriage. It is very common for best friends to marry and they tend to have long-term, successful marriages.
Frequently, one of the members of a close "platonic" relationship has thought about marriage to the other partner, but fears bringing it up. Treat the other person as a date, rather than as just friend and you may be surprised at the response.
Just my two cents. I am married to the best friend that I have ever had and it is a really good marriage.